Page 5 of Losing the Forbidden
“L…Lauren,” I whisper. Pain twists my heart at just the sound.
“Pretty. I know you don’t have to listen to me, and I don’t really know what I’m talking about, but…don’t waste any more time. I know you’re scared, but what if she still feels as strongly about you as you do her? Don’t regret not finding out the truth.”
“You need to stop doing this,” I complain when her words hit exactly where she intends them to.
“Just think about it, yeah?” she says quickly before there’s a crashing at the front door and Dec and Liam both stumble into the room.
Chapter Three
The sun’s streaming through the window when I wake. I’m hot, covered in a sheen of sweat, and I’m hard as fucking steel. It doesn’t take much brainpower to know whom I was dreaming about. I woke up multiple times last night with the image of her in my head.
Damn Liv for making me talk about her.
Once I’ve had a very long and cold shower, I make my way down to the kitchen to get coffee. I told Dec I’d be at his surf shack first thing, but seeing as it’s almost ten am already, I guess he knows I’m going to be late.
Not needing to get a job has been pretty great. It’s meant I’ve been able to help Dec out when he started his business and with renovating this house when he first bought it, but right now I could really do with a distraction that a career could give me.
When I get to the kitchen, I find Liv sat with a mug in her hands, listening to Liam doing his morning radio show.
“You know you don’t have to listen to him every morning, right?”
“Fuck off,” she grunts, her cheeks heating with embarrassment from being caught. “How are you feeling?”
Shrugging, I set about filling my mug.
“Did you think about what I said?”
I bite back my initial response becauseof courseI fucking thought about what she said. I can’t get it—her—out of my damn head. I don’t get to answer because ringing distracts both of us.
“Are you going to get that?”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull my phone out. I don’t need to look at the screen to know who it is. I had two missed calls from Chris after my shower. The fact that he’s chosen not to leave voicemails this time has dread knotting my stomach. As much as I might try to ignore what’s happening in London, I know that I can’t. I also know that Mum and Lauren might not be coping as well as I hope they might be. Just because I’m glad the fucker’s dead, it doesn’t mean everyone will feel that way.
“Well?” Liv prompts as I stand staring at it like it’s about to explode.
Sucking in a breath, I swipe the screen and bring it to my ear.
“Hello.”
“I thought you were ignoring me,” is the first thing Chris says, but he doesn’t allow me any time to respond before diving straight into the reason for his call. “I need you to do something for me.”
“What?” The knot tightens and I find myself leaning forward against the counter, waiting for his next words.
“I need you to go to the office and find me a load of paperwork.”
All the air rushes from my lungs. “Can’t anyone else do it?” Liv’s stare burns into my back but I refuse to turn and look at her.
“Your mum and Lauren have enough going on. Neither of them has been to the office since…and I don’t want to make them. I don’t want either of them hurting more than they need to be right now.” The memories that have been haunting me hit me once again. Image after image of Lauren runs through my mind. My heart starts to race and my hands tremble. She’s not going to want me there, but fuck if I don’t need her.
Clenching the fist of my free hand, I try to get myself together.
“Ben, are you still there?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m here. What is it you need?”
Lowering the phone from my ear, I rest both my palms on the counter and hang my head, trying to catch my breath. I’ve always hoped this moment would come. That I’d have to go back. That I’d get a chance to reclaim what’s rightfully mine. But now the time’s here, I’m more terrified than I ever expected to be.
“You’re going,” Liv states, the sound of her voice dragging me from my panic. Turning my head, I glance over my shoulder at her. Her eyes drill into me, her lips pressed into a hard line. “Whatever it is, the reason you’re so scared, you need to get over yourself and be there for Lauren and your mum.”
